Thursday 9 January 2014

Skin Saviors




I've mentioned several times over the past few months that my skin has been to the dogs and back, repeatedly. As someone who always had good skin through my teenage years, skincare was never a priority - moisturizer or sunscreen if I remembered in the morning (which was almost always never), a dab of lip balm at night, that was about it. The one thing I always did though, was wash my face twice a day.
Over the last four years my skin has really started acting up.. pimples, chronic white heads on my nose, stubborn blackheads, scarring, hyperpigmentation, you name it, I've had it.
So my quest for a good skincare routine began, one that has made me run through tons of different products mostly under the presumption that my skin was very oily - as mentioned before.
Recently though, when I was at the Chanel counter looking at skincare, the SA asked me how long I was suffering from "dry - dehydrated skin", which shocked me beyond return. After spending a good hour figuring out what was happening with my skin, followed by pointing out of a few "obvious" symptoms that had gone unnoticed (tightness, dry patches etc).. I walked away quite literally a new woman.
SO let me break it down. My skin from the looks of it has always been dry/combination.. but when I started breaking out, I, like everyone who was selling my products to combat the acne presumed I had oily skin. So I've been using products for 4 years that have essentially stripped my face of its natural oils, drying my skin. The more dry it got, the more oil my skin produced to compensate for the lack to moisture - hence, the more breaking out.
Since I realized my skin was dehydrated, I took immediate steps to help it. Enter Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask, I use this stuff at night, and once I started using it, I could feel my face becoming better, dry patches disappearing and the acne along with it. During the day time, I use the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizer +, which is basically moisture in a bottle. Once I incorporated these two in my daily skincare routine, the breakouts seem to have lessened considerably. I use the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Toner on my nose, and chin area where I'm most prone to white heads.. CRAZY white head situation there.. but on the mend. My Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sun Block is something that cannot be beaten, our relationship goes back 5 years and counting.
On stops I use the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, and on active Breakouts - La-Roche Posay Effaclar AI (if there is one product that really works, its this)
For eyecream I use the The Nature's Company White Rose Eye Cream, which is meh - so if you have suggestions, please, comment below!
And ofcourse, my chaped lip savior the La-Roche Posay Ceralip. I use it at night and I have baby lips the next morning.

So, this is my current skincare routine, which I'm rather happy with... *touches all kinds of wood*. I normally use Bioderma to remove my makeup, but I'm also planning on inventing in the Clinique Cleansing Balm.

Your thoughts? 

6 comments:

  1. U seem to have a great skincare regime....btw i am using that clinique balm and its really nice!

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    1. Haa thank you :)
      AAAAHH, it just makes me want it more now :o

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  2. I wanted to know how LRP Astringent is performing? I use clinique clarifying lotion and really love it..any idea if LRP astringent is better? you would be shocked to know majority of us suffer from de-hydrated skin and it often goes unnoticed :( I too have started incorporating oils and serums to bring back the lost moisture due to acne prone products..for eyes try Avene contour eye cream..its very good!

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    1. I haven't used the Clinique one, ever, so I don't think I can compare.. but the LRP one is amazing. It really helped with my whiteheads/blackheads.
      Any idea where I can get the avene contour cream?

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    2. Its available on medplusbeauty and other major online sites selling Avene products :)

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